Lions Come Up Short Against Wake Forest

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.- After seven years as the head coach of the Penn State
women's soccer team, Erica Walsh knows far too well how intense games in the
NCAA Tournament can get, and how a few bounces here or there can determine the
outcome of a game.

With her Nittany Lions deadlocked in a scoreless battle in the second round of
the national tournament against Wake Forest, Walsh's team would battle their
hearts out yet ultimately not get the bounces they needed, as a goal by Demon
Deacons forwards Sarah Teegarden with less than ten minutes remaining handed
Penn State a 1-0 loss.

"The effort that they gave was fantastic," said Walsh. "They put in the work
and they were tackling, communicating, and certainly put in a winning effort."

The Nittany Lions had numerous chances, getting off 10 shots including a bullet
from senior forward Tani Costa with two minutes remaining that came within a
few inches of tying the game, yet they were unable to get a ball in the back of
the net.

Afterwards, Walsh credited the performance of Wake Forest's defense, which was
able to limit a Penn State attack that was coming off a three-goal game against
Monmouth.

"On defense they were organized and compact and really took away our wide
players," said Walsh. "We got some good looks and had some good chances we just
couldn't convert any of them."

At the same time, the reigning National Coach of the Year could not have been
more impressed with the job of her own defense, which kept the Demon Deacons
off the scoreboard for 80 minutes in a game that, ultimately, had to be won by
someone.

In particular, Walsh praised the effort of senior defender Bri Hovington, who
stepped in front of a number of Wake Forest's 14 shots in an attempt to give
the Nittany Lions and goalkeeper Britt Eckerstrom their second straight NCAA
Tournament shutout.

"Bri was on point today, communicating with everyone and blocking shots," said
Walsh. "She was tough to penetrate and did exactly what a senior should do."

A year after coming just one game short of winning a National Championship,
going home in the second round in heartbreaking fashion is a tough pill for the
Nittany Lions to swallow.

Despite the disappointment, Walsh was adamant that she wouldn't trade the
experiences that she went through with this group of players for anything.

"I would rather lose with this team than win with any other team," said Walsh.
"Soccer can be a frustrating game but they fought through adversity all season
and became closer as a team."

In a season that ends with their record at 15-7-1, the Nittany Lions certainly
went through a roller coaster of emotions throughout the past few months.

Although their campaign ends on a bitter note, the growth and development that
the team went through will benefit every member of the squad going forward.

"This team was a pleasure to coach every day," said Walsh. "They certainly had
their ups and downs but they took care of every little detail and improved as
the season went along."

The biggest disappointment for Walsh is that her seniors have to end their
season with a bad taste in their mouths after working so hard to get back to
where the team was last year.

Even with their careers coming to an abrupt end, the Nittany Lions senior class
- which includes Emily Carrollo, Tani Costa, Maya Hayes, Bri Hovington, Erin
Kehoe, Lexi Marton, and Taylor Schram - can exit the program knowing that their
impact will not be forgotten any time soon.

"I look around and I see all the seniors hanging around with the freshmen and
influencing them," said Walsh. "They will look back and be proud of how they
transformed themselves as leaders."

Moving forward, Walsh feels as though her team still has as bright a future as
any program in the country.

While they are losing a top-notch group of seniors, the Nittany Lions will
return a number of key veterans next year, including midfielder Emily Hurd,
defender Whitney Church, and forward Mallory Weber, and come next season, the
Blue and White will be as fired up as ever to reach new heights.

"This rising group of seniors has tremendous leadership ability," said Walsh.
"They don't take anything for granted and they have special qualities that will
help our program continue to grow."